SEVENTEEN of the 24 members of Edo State House of Assembly are backing the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Deputy Speaker Yekini Idiaye, who represents Akoko-Edo Constituency I, and four other members also pledged support for Ize-Iyamu.

Idiaye was on Monday joined by Emmanuel Agbaje (Akoko-Edo Constituency II), Nosayaba Okunbor (Orhiomwon East Constituency), Dumez Ugiagbe (member-elect, Ovia Northeast Constituency I) and Vincent Uwadiae (member-elect, Ovia Northeast Constituency II) on a solidarity visit to APC’s standard-bearer at his home in Benin, where they declared their support.

The lawmakers said they would not leave the APC for another party, assuring Ize-Iyamu of their loyalty.

They said they would soon begin mobilisation of voters at the grassroots, to ensure his victory on September 19.

The deputy speaker said he had no reason to join Governor Godwin Obaseki in his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or to back his re-election, noting that the non-performing Obaseki administration had failed to initiate any developmental project in his constituency despite his intervention efforts.

He said: “There is no reason for me to defect to another party because there is no project in my village to show that the current administration is working.”

“I’m from Somorika in Akoko Edo Local Government and my village is the most backward in the council.”

Ize-Iyamu thanked the legislators for their courage and integrity.

He slammed Obaseki for dividing the state by denying representation to 14 elected lawmakers for over one year.